9/11

Out of all the images depicting September 11th, 2001, I picked this one because I felt I related to this one the most. After September 11th, it seemed like everyone in America grieved and came together. People left love notes, letters of remembrance, thank you notes for those who sacrificed themselves for others at ground zero. At the time were streets and walls covered with mementos. Signs across America saying "Never Forget" or "Support our Troops." Patriotism became so popular that people began to market it. I even remember coin commercials capitalizing on coin collectors with a special half dollar with a full colored pictured of the twin towers. It suddenly seemed like everyone everywhere was proud to be American. When the airplanes crashed into the twin towers I was too young to really understand the context of the situation or the repercussions that I would feel and grow up to understand later on. The picture is obviously of people remembering the aftermath and expressing their feelings of loss and anger even confusion. I was in the fourth grade when I heard the twin towers fell, I don't remember much. I can't even remember if we were sent home early. my teacher at the time was Ms. Holly, she was my favorite, and she tried to explain the event without being too overly political. I don't even remember what she said; I just couldn't wrap my head around why someone would do something so horrible. I remember distinctly not being able to comprehend why the terrorists did that. At the time I offered up such a naive solution that I shudder to think about it.

So that's where the event left me, confused and unsettled. I feel it's stupid to say the September 11th never directly impacted my life, since I and everyone else is still grappling with the issues of terrorism and the new laws of protection. I guess since I don't remember much of the incident I don't know what the direct issues are or how it affected me at the time. Those people who left notes and the letters on the wall must feel terrible every day, dealing with the loss of a loved one. And the people who survived having those nightmares will be in therapy for the rest of their lives. Even walking past the site every day to work and looking down into the pit where two towers once stood have to feel more of a sense of loss than I. I look at this photo and think "let us never forget" but I don't remember in the first place. But all of this is why I choose this picture. The Americanism felt at the time, the loss, the anger, the confusion, and even me not being able to remember or understand is summed up by this photo. This photo represents the aftermath and everything everyone is dealing with now. Since September 11th more and more people grow to understand and a whole new generation will be able to put their letters and notes on those memorials.

GDP